by Jeff Lockridge, USA TODAY Sports

by Jeff Lockridge, USA TODAY Sports

Vanderbilt has hired Stanford defensive coordinator Derek Mason as its next football coach.

Donor and search committee member John Ingram confirmed Mason's hiring.

Ingram said Vanderbilt will make a formal announcement this afternoon and a press conference is likely for Saturday morning.

Mason said earlier today he was meeting with Vanderbilt via Skype this afternoon.

Mason, who spoke with The Tennessean shortly before 1 p.m., said he had been told he was one of two finalists for the job. He said he was still in Atlanta after interviewing with Vanderbilt officials Thursday at Parker Executive Search.

Mason referred to Vanderbilt as "a great job."

"Who's not going to say yes?" Mason said. "I think it's a great opportunity to be in a place that does it right. James Franklin did a wonderful job of putting this program on the map. He made it relevant. That debt of gratitude is definitely owed to him.

Mason, who spoke with The Tennessean shortly before 1 p.m., said he had been told he was one of two finalists for the job. He said he was still in Atlanta after interviewing with Vanderbilt officials Thursday at Parker Executive Search.

Mason referred to Vanderbilt as "a great job."

"Who's not going to say yes?" Mason said. "I think it's a great opportunity to be in a place that does it right. James Franklin did a wonderful job of putting this program on the map. He made it relevant. That debt of gratitude is definitely owed to him.

"I saw it when Jim Harbaugh did the same thing (at Stanford). You like guys like that for their vision, for their work, you see great things and then from there, you just look at what the program is. (Vanderbilt) is a program steeped in the right temperament, the right accruement for success.

"It plays in one of the best football conferences in the country, the SEC, and I think when you put those two together between the academics and the football accruement, I think it can be a winning combination."

Vanderbilt defensive end Caleb Azubike tweeted: "If we are really bringing Coach Mason in, then I cannot wait to play within the scheme of such a great mastermind! Salute CDM!! Im All In!"

Mason said he would put together a staff and work on the recruiting trail as immediate priorities. Vanderbilt has lost 10 of its 20 commitments since Franklin took the Penn State job on Saturday.

"It's got to be almost immediate," said Mason, who noted he is fighting a case of the flu. "It's got to be something that is there is no break, there is no time period. You're going to have to go 24 hours a day for the next two weeks to make sure you can get in homes and really solidify people's trust and respect just in terms of sending their child to your program.

"Players are resilient, but when it comes to parents, parents want to know in the aftermath of what's happened and where college football is today, they still want to know who that guy (the coach) is. They don't just want to send their child someplace. So with that being the case, we would have a lot of ground to cover. I believe, if given the opportunity, we'll push forward and make this thing happen."

Mason will replace Franklin, who left for the Penn State job after compiling a 24-15 record over three seasons in Nashville.

Mason was a coach of interest in the Army, Connecticut and Washington searches, but he told the San Jose Mercury News that he declined the chance to interview for several head coaching positions. He was also considered to be in the mix for the Louisville job.

"It's got to be the right job," he told the Mercury News a couple of weeks ago before the Rose Bowl. "(Coach) David (Shaw) had his one right job, and it was Stanford. And I have mine. That's between me and my wife, and it's a ways away."

A native of Phoenix and former Northern Arizona cornerback, Mason has never been a head coach nor has he ever coached in the South. He came to Stanford in 2010 as a defensive backs coach before being promoted to defensive coordinator and associate head coach under Shaw in 2011.

Mason was a finalist for the 2012 Broyles Award given to college football's top assistant coach. He is regarded as one of the top defensive minds in the game and directed the Pac-12's top-ranked scoring defense (19 points per game) and rushing defense (89.4 yards) in 2013. The Cardinal also led the Pac-12 in those categories in 2012, allowing 17.2 points and 97 rushing yards on average.

Stanford won the Pac-12 title in 2012 and 2013 en route to consecutive Rose Bowls and compiled a 46-8 record during Mason's four seasons in Palo Alto, Calif.